Post subject: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for me)

Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:58 pm

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:24 pmPosts: 515Location: Terra

Gentlemen,a post here and also one on the Union board made me aware that some members seem to see no problem in checking a scenario in detail, that means loading the scenario from the opponents side to check every aspect of the other side, before a scenario is being played.To be honest doing so seems to me like some sort of cheating.

Personally I will usually read up material(books, webpages, etc) up to the point where the battle starts but not beyond, this is to get myself some kind of prologue to the battle that I'm about to play. I won't load the scenario from the other side, not only because of the cheating aspect but I think doing so takes away a lot fun. How much fun is it if one is aware of the enemies strength, position, supply, ammunition, quality, leaders, etc. and by that isn't surprised at all from his actions? Not much I would say, neither for you nor your opponent.Of course foreknowledge can't be turned off but I see no reasons to expand knowledge even more in the way of loading & checking the other side before playing the scenario.

Attention:The phrase "in detail" in the poll question means that you check the scenario beyond what can be seen at the regular start of the scenario, this can be achieved for example by starting without FoW, starting it from the opponents side, loading it into the scenario editor, etc. all this gives information beyond a regular start of a PBEM with FoW. Starting the scenario from the side you intend to play with FoW active isn't meant by this because you wouldn't see anything beyond what you will see in the regular start.

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:45 am

Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:20 pmPosts: 1189Location: USA

Hmmmm! The question includes the words, "in detail."

I normally like to check out the scenario before I play, but not in full detail! So I voted , "YES"

I would like to ask those of you who prefer not to preview a scenario for realism sake if you'd ever want to play the scenario again having played it once? And no matter how thoroughly one may preview a scenario, isn't it true that you couldn't possibly know what your opponent is actually going to do until he does it?

And then there's the knowledge that while you may not want to preview the scenario, that your opponent might do just the opposite! I've never asked an opponent if he's previewed or played the scenario before or not. It simply wouldn't do me any good one way or the other, because I'm going to assume that he has done exactly that and plan my game accordingly in my own way.

_________________General Jos. C. Meyer,Union Army Chief of StaffCommander, Army of the Shenandoah(2011-2014 UA CoA/GinC)

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:04 am

Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:24 pmPosts: 515Location: Terra

I added an explanation what I mean with "in detail":

The phrase "in detail" in the poll question means that you check the scenario beyond what can be seen at the regular start of the scenario, this can be achieved for example by starting without FoW, starting it from the opponents side, loading it into the scenario editor, etc. all this gives information beyond a regular start of a PBEM with FoW. Starting the scenario from the side you intend to play with FoW active isn't meant by this because you wouldn't see anything beyond what you will see in the regular start.

Joe Meyer wrote:

Hmmmm! The question includes the words, "in detail."

I normally like to check out the scenario before I play, but not in full detail! So I voted , "YES"

If you just start the scenario like you would start it in the regular game that you are about to play you can vote No because you won't see anything beyond what the regular start will show you.

Joe Meyer wrote:

I would like to ask those of you who prefer not to preview a scenario for realism sake if you'd ever want to play the scenario again having played it once? And no matter how thoroughly one may preview a scenario, isn't it true that you couldn't possibly know what your opponent is actually going to do until he does it?

Well with the huge amount of scenario even when only possessing 2-3 titles you will unlikely have to play a scenario twice unless you want to. My personal road is to play down the historical scenarios, and with 13 titles now I real don't know if I ever run out of historical scenarios to play.It is true that the real actions of the opponent can only be seen when he does them, still knowing what he knows will at least give you a clue of what he can and can not do, that already makes it easier for you to beat him.

Joe Meyer wrote:

And then there's the knowledge that while you may not want to preview the scenario, that your opponent might do just the opposite! I've never asked an opponent if he's previewed or played the scenario before or not. It simply wouldn't do me any good one way or the other, because I'm going to assume that he has done exactly that and plan my game accordingly in my own way.

I also do not ask my opponent about it, but I do look if he had played it before. At this point we run into the trust terrain, just like I trust players not to reload turns to do them better I trust them that they won't spy on my side.

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:50 am

Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2001 3:26 pmPosts: 138Location:

Personally, I get the greatest amount of fun by playing scenarios completely blind -- essentially not knowing anything beyond the big strategic picture -- not knowing the makeup of the forces involved, strengths, directions of advance, nothing more than I get from the scenario description.

Unfortunately, this "blindness" occurs only rarely -- with a new game perhaps or when I play a scenario that I virtually know nothing about -- because after I've played it once, then I am no longer blind to the strategic or tactical situation. But then I can still have fun trying to devise a more perfect strategy and challenging myself against a strong player trying to do the same.

For example, I am having a grand time playing a few Petersburg campaign games with Rich Walker. I know the general history and tactical situations but I don't know every battle or engagement in great detail. Thus, my Yanks have been surprised more than once and I have suffered some defeats. This is not likely to occur the next time through, however. The next time I will be devising "improved tactical maneuvers" to best my opponent who is probably doing the same.

So, I suppose its up to each player to decide what it is that they want from the gaming experience. Both approaches can be fun.

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:09 am

Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:07 amPosts: 1721Location: Oz

For me I sometimes check them in some detail when trying to select one that is matched. For others I have played so many times I know the reinforcement list pretty well. However as a rule I do not check the battles out prior to playing them as it removes some of the surprise. Playing some of the smaller ones from Petersburg and it is fun not knowing what's coming.

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:11 am

Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2017 3:52 pmPosts: 58

I must recon a scenario as I lose so much I don't DARE give my opponents any more help than they already have by playing ME! <BIG GRIN>

That said - I love the campaign scenarios the best. Neither side knows what is going to happen. That is my fav. mode of play. However, for a non-campaign battle I do like to know what I am up against. I figure my opponent checks too. I have played a "Lets play Blind this time" scenario before but its been a LONG time ago.

Post subject: Re: To check or not to check, that is the question(not for m

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:50 pm

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:48 pmPosts: 438Location: In the saddle

I usually play only meeting engagements of homegrown variety so it really does not matter.When I have played a specific scenario, I usually have played it vs others, so again it does not really matter.

I have no problem with opponents looking at a scenario before playing.

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